Vet prescription fees will be capped as part of a wider crackdown on rising prices. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has made the changes legally binding, and vets have a year to implement them.
Prescriptions will be capped at £21, and vets must tell clients if cheaper medicine is available online. They must also write estimates ahead of treatment and publish price lists for services. A “Find A Vet” service will also be established to make it easy to compare practices.
“The changes that are being required are changes that will help inform pet owners about prices,” said CMA panel chair Martin Coleman.
The remedies come after an investigation into the sector found that prices were rising at nearly two times the rate of inflation. But critics say that the changes will benefit the six firms that own two-thirds of practices, while damaging independent vets.
Pet owners have said they are happy about the changes. Clive di Giorgio told the BBC that he was told his dog had cancer and could need thousands of pounds worth of treatment.
But after going to another surgery for a second opinion, he was told his dog’s rash wasn’t cancerous, and it cleared up with steroids and antibiotics in just two weeks.
“You just don’t feel as if when you go to the vets now they’re interested in the animal,” he says. “You feel as if all the interest is how much money they can basically squeeze from you.”
But Cate Titterton, who owns an independent vet in Saltburn, told the BBC that lowering prescription fees will make other services more expensive for customers. She said there is “one clear winner”, larger vet groups and corporations.
Ms Titterton said: “Veterinary practices still have to have a pharmacy that is fully stocked, so if we’re not making that tiny profit on the drugs, we’re going to have to make some profit elsewhere. So, things like services, consultations, surgeries – unfortunately, those prices are very, very likely to have to go up.”
British Veterinary Association President Dr Rob Williams said vets were already working towards the changes, especially those around costs and complaints handling.
He added: “We’ve been clear with the CMA throughout its investigation that it must ensure its remedies do not disproportionately impact smaller, independent practices, and we’ve pushed back where we’ve had concerns.”
Which? head of consumer rights policy Sue Davies said: “Too many pet owners who have had a poor experience with their vet feel that the system is stacked against them.
“The conclusion of the CMA’s market investigation is a positive milestone which should stop pet owners getting ripped off by overpriced medicines, hidden fees and unclear pricing at a time which is already likely to be very stressful.
“There is only so much the CMA can achieve on its own as the current legislation regulating the veterinary market is seriously outdated.
“This is why it is vital that the Government keeps moving forward with reforms that prioritise an independent regulator and a dedicated veterinary ombudsman to fix flawed complaint processes and ensure pet owners and their pets are properly protected.”
